27 Weapons
by Little Ucchan
Summary: DISCONTINUED! AU Fantasy Relics of an ancient war fought between the Goddess and the Demon Lord... Weapons of power turned the tide, vanquishing the dark... But, will they side with the forces of good once again... 1000 years later?
1. Disclaimer

**27 ~_Weapons_~**

By: Little Ucchan

**_Disclaimer…_**

Ronin Warriors/Yoroiden Samurai Troopers do _not_ belong to me. I'm just a fan of the series and love writing about them. **But** the world I create within this alternate universe — including the continent of Syph and it's countries, the main legend of the Goddess, and the design, creation, and usage of the 27 ~_Weapons_~ — (although loosely based on RW/YST) are _my_ original creations and **_do_** belong to me. I also do lay claim over the various histories and personalities of **_all_** characters (including originals), since it is not necessarily the same as the RW/YST series. Basically, I did not create Ryo, Rowen, Sage (and his family), Cye (and his family), Kento, Anubis, Sekhmet, Dais, Cale, Kayura, Mia, Yulie, White Blaze, Talpa (and his lackeys), Badamon, the Ancient, Luna, Mukara, Naria, or anyone else within the content of the TV/OAV series, Drama CDs, and other merchandise that reveals any 'official' information on the anime and its characters. But any adaptations I've made that are not directly displayed in the anime belong to me. ::Let's out a deep breath:: Phew! ^^;;

**_About the main story…_**

27 ~_Weapons_~ is an alternate universe fantasy story, based roughly on the Ronin Warriors TV series. All original characters will show up in this story, including Luna, Mukara, and Naria from the OAV series plus a few side characters that were never really part of the anime, but were there nonetheless. Satsuki and Yayoi Date are two characters that play important roles in the story. Same with the Mouri family, just to name a few. Most implied romances in the TV series/OAVs will stay in tact, plus some new romances. There are supposed 5 couples (or what not) in this story. Ages have been changed to compliment the fantasy world and basically, the entire legend of the armors has been tweaked and altered here and there to create an original take on the Dynasty's past and Talpa's relation with Hariel and the Ancient. It also provides a whole new world for our heroes to explore. The warlords' personalities are extremely in-depth in this fic, as previous minor characters are as well. And yes, I'm keeping all original baddies. There will be several parallels between my story and the actual TV series, so don't be surprised if you see that I've kept some events intact and integrated it into the fic. 

**_About the pre-stories…_**

Aside from the main story, I'm planning to create four pre-stories to explain relationships already established at the outset of _Weapons_, (though at the moment, this project has been postponed till maybe after the completion of the main story). If you've read already (or are soon going to read) you'll notice that there is already a pre-established relationship between Sage, his sister Satsuki, and her bodyguard, Kento. The relationship could be understood in the story alone, but the pre-story will add more depth to the characters and also make my life easier. If I explain the four main groups in depth BEFORE the main story, I'll have more room to focus on the remaining pre-established relationships and character developments on people who I have yet to introduce. Now if I did all that in the MAIN storyline, it would make the plot excessively long and not to mention give me a major headache. Plus I have to incorporate explanations of the new world and the legend into the story as well. So you can see why I consider this to be necessary. So aside from the main fic, I'll be working on the pre-stories, although these may or may not be released alongside the main story.


	2. Pessimism or Premonition

**27 ~_Weapons_~**

By: Little Ucchan

**_Chapter 1:_** Pessimism or Premonition

_"Even rumors have some truth to it." ~Satsuki_

Darkness. That's what all ancient temples from lost civilizations had in common. They were always dark. Surrounded by a pitch-blackness that seemed to grow thicker with age, and deeper with solitude. All means of lighting the winding corridors and empty chambers had long since ceased to function. And after that, these walls can only know darkness. Emptiness… until that lone torchlight appears.

One such temple had the luck to be graced by the light of fire, the single flame burning away the cold blanket of darkness that had laid itself to rest over the edifice so many centuries ago. The light played across its once flawless structure, jumping in a gay mockery from one crevice to the next, revealing for all to see the beauty it had commanded, the heart that was put into carving its delicate features, and the sorrow of seeing such a creature fall from its moment of grace. Its time was over. But the temple has not lost its touch. After being concealed from the world's eye for so many years, now that it has been exposed, it's still able to captivate the viewer, leaving them gaping in awe and utterly breathless. Such was the state of one young man. 

The torchbearer. 

His eyes gleamed in almost childish delight as he walked deeper into the huge chamber that was the main entrance hall, raising the torch higher above his head in hopes of maximizing its illuminating glow. Looking around, he observed that the pillars and walls were worn down, many of its intricate designs fading away with time. Most of the stone slabs that lined the floor were either uprooted or cracked, surrounded by debris. But regardless of its tattered condition, the structure seemed surprisingly sturdy. All the pillars were still up, and even though parts of the ceiling had collapsed, the roof was still intact, sheltering its insides from Mother Nature. _Yeah, this is a tough one,_ the man thought in admiration at how strong, or stubborn (if you want to call it that), the temple was. He really thought that the earth would have claimed it by now. Lucky for him, this veteran wasn't about to kill over just yet. But, he doubted that his companions would consider this 'lucky.'

"Hey!! Ya find anything?" a man called in his usual stentorian voice, his message easily rising over the cackling flames to reach his friend's ears. 

"Oh God, I hope he hasn't," a feminine voice immediately followed, the plea in her words causing the torchbearer to chuckle lightly. Unfortunately, this action wasn't done unnoticed. 

A young girl stepped out of the shadows, the light dancing over her small frame. There was an odd radiance about her, with the fire's flame accentuating her slight curves and smooth skin. It bathed her in a soft light, giving any individual present the impression of standing in front of a divine being sent from the heavens. So gentle a face, framed by a waterfall of silky light brown hair. Delicate eyebrows poised over glistening emerald orbs that brightened every time her lips curled into a smile. Only this time, those same lips were pulled tight into a frown; eyebrows crunched up and eyes swirling with what the torchbearer could identify as only one thing. Annoyance. 

"What are you laughing at?" she demanded, slender arms crossed over her chest. "I hardly think this is funny."

While the woman waited for the torchbearer to give his response, the man who had called out earlier stepped into the light to join his friends, coming up to the female's side. He was about half a foot taller than her, which was relatively short for someone with such a strong muscular build. But it was all right. He was still an imposing figure, even if his boyish looks and jovial personality toned down his badass appearance.

"Lighten up, Suki," he said, placing his arm around her. "No need to bite your brother's head off."

"No." She flicked the larger man's hand off from where it laid on her shoulder. "I just need to break his wrist. Maybe _then_ he'll listen to reason."

The torchbearer only flashed her a smile. "C'mon Satsuki, where's your sense of adventure?"

"About ten feet in front of the entrance, cowering in fear," she replied dryly. "Can we go back now? Please??" 

"Don't be such a spoilsport."

Satsuki promptly socked the burly man in the arm. "I am _not_ a spoilsport! I'm just scared!!" 

The torchbearer shook his head. "There's nothing to be afraid of."

"Oh yeah? Well, what about those rumors we heard at Essa about this place?"

"They're rumors, Satsuki," he said evenly. "Nothing more."

"Even rumors have some truth to it," she countered.

"Satsuki…"

"Sage, please!!" she begged. "I have a really bad feeling about this!!"

The husky male, who had been silently watching the two siblings' argue, had not missed the way the girl's body trembled as she tried, unsuccessfully, to suppress the fear that had closed its iron hand over her heart. He couldn't understand for the life of him why she was afraid _now_. Yes, she was the easiest to scare, and, yes, she didn't like exploring dark, unknown places, but once Satsuki had gotten used to her surroundings, it's as if she's wandering around in her own backyard. All she really needed was time. But they've been in the temple for a quarter of an hour, and, compared to the girl's usual one-minute transition from paranoid to exploratory, that was far too long for her to take to calm down.

"Hey man… maybe we should go," he suggested, trying to shake off his own sense of dread at the possibility that something was in there with them that struck such terror into the hearts of mortals. "Your sister ain't normally this persistent. Not without a good reason."

Sage sighed, running his free hand through the waves in his blonde hair. _Guess it's just me then._

The bigger man was surprised when, instead of getting an 'Okay, let's get out of here' like he was hoping he would, he found himself staring into the heart of the flames. "Kento, take Satsuki to the exit and wait for me there," Sage instructed, holding out the torch for the other to grab. 

"But…"

"Sage, no!!" Satsuki yelled, latching on to his waist in protest. "You can't stay here by yourself!!"

He smiled gently, wrapping his free arm around her shoulder reassuringly. "I'll be fine. Don't worry."

"How can I _not_ worry!?" she hugged him tighter, burying her face into his chest. "You're going to stay here in this godforsaken place all by yourself with who knows what lurking around the corner ready to dice you up into little pieces and eat you for dinner and you're telling me not to worry!?" she screamed, her voice cracking on her last words as the tears began to fall down her face. But that moment of vulnerability was short lived when Satsuki felt her brother's body shake… with laughter.

Sage let out a low grunt, bending over in pain when his sister rammed an expertly trained fist into his gut.

"Sage you jerk!! How can you be so insensitive!!" she yelled.

"I'm sorry Satsuki," he apologized, a hint of mirth still in his voice regardless of the pain he felt. "It's just that…" he sighed, shaking his head in amusement as he straightened up his back. "What am I going to do with you?"

"Well for starters you can walk with us to the exit," she asked hopefully. 

"Nope."

"Sage!!"

"I'm just going to have a quick look around," he said. "I'll be right behind you guys. Just give me a few minutes."

He was half expecting his sister to yell at him again, but instead she stared deep into his eyes before letting out a long resigning sigh. "I expect you to come out no less than five minutes after us, you got it?" 

Sage nodded his agreement, and then looked at the young man to Satsuki's right, waiting for him to say something.

"I don't like it," he stated flatly. "But whatever floats your boat."

"I'm counting on you to watch over my sister."

Kento took the torch from Sage's hand, giving the blonde one of his cocky grins. "Hey don't worry about it. She's safe with me. But…" His eyes then wandered to the sword that was strapped to the man's belt. "…You sure the light from that glow stick of yours will be enough?"

Sage gave ~_Korin_~ a light pat. "It will suffice."

He looked skeptically at his friend before forcefully shrugging off any sense of uncertainly that had entered his mind. "You just be careful, alright."

"You too."

With those final words signaling the conversation's end, the two travelers left their companion behind, the darkness swallowing him whole as the torchlight drifted farther and farther away.

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

So long…

It has waited so long for this. Enduring the cold, harsh treatment of the outside world and, at the same time, defending against the threat that lurked in every corner of its interior. It was weather-beaten, wounded, and weak. But it held on to life with daily-renewed vigor. Keeping hope alive for as long as possible. It would _not_ crumble. It _refused_ to fall. It was determined to stay strong… for that one day. That impending moment of liberation. Only then will it allow itself to rest, certain that its purpose was fulfilled.

But alas, any hope of freedom from its protective vigil died when the small torchlight that had illuminated the main hall retreated back down the passageway… back towards civilization and away from the foreboding temple structure that the small group had dared to enter. They had come so close; treading on ground that even angels would have thought twice about doing. But 'close' just wasn't good enough.

There was a dark, foreboding characteristic about the structure that enabled it to effectively ward off amateurs. Wannabe adventurers who were out only for money and fame. None had the will, the force of character, or the heart to be a _real_ explorer. It was a shame that the world was lacking in such strong individuals. Previous 'adventurers' who had attempted to unravel the temple's secrets had only traveled three-fourths into the long, pitch-black corridor that stretched from the forest entry to the chamber before making a hasty retreat back the way they came. Most only needed to come in sight of the temple before they changed their minds and ran home in a blind panic. Dealing with cowards was a pain. And at first, this new group appeared no different than the rest.

But they _were_ different. The band of three had passed through the supposed never-ending tunnel and had actually set foot _inside_ the vast audience hall; a feat no mortal has ever done for centuries. But what did it mean for the temple?

Joy. Deliverance. A chance to relieve itself from the duty of protecting the treasure that lay deep within its bosom. The day had finally come!!

But it was wrong. Hope was a falsehood. They had left. And the temple was once again alone. 

That is… until a faint light emerged within the temple walls in the shape of a long blade. It emitted a soft glow, pulsating in a calm, soothing manner. The brightness then climbed to its peak before releasing a flash of blinding light that had immediately spread throughout the whole room, encompassing everything in sight. And for the first time in a thousand years, the entire chamber was free from darkness. 

The light slowly toned down in intensity, allowing the shadows to once again invade this sacred ground. Its range of light shrank slowly. Down till its radiance roughly covered the same distance that its predecessor, the torch, had done. Now that the sword's light was stable, set at a good level of energy output, the blade no longer burned with such a ferociously bright white. Instead it settled for its usual metallic hue, surrounded by a halo of soft pale green. 

And right by this new shining beacon of hope… was a young man. The same one that had been with that group of adventurers. Only he had never left, and instead stood there watching his companions' retreating backs. He had waited silently in the dark until he was sure that they had left before unsheathing his sword and instigating that brilliant light spectacle. And now, bathed in that gentle light, every aspect of him could be seen.

There was something intriguing about him. His thin eyebrows and delicate facial features generally characterized weakness or (dare I say it) femininity in a man. But with him, it only seemed to sharpen his appearance, making him look older and more mature. And yet the blonde hair that ran wild along his face added with the few unruly strands that covered his right eye gave him the youthful rebel look. Overall, this unusual combination made him rather attractive. His height of 5'10" in conjunction with his almost lean stature would have only backed the previous assumption that he was frail. But an expertly trained eye could see the well-shaped muscles slyly concealed underneath his attire, comprised of a semi loose long-sleeved shirt and jeans. And the leather-armored breastplate he wore accompanied with the sword that hung at his waist side suggested his skill in battle. With his one visible lavender eye always narrowed into an impassive gaze, he could normally pass as a trained mercenary out on a mission instead of the wanderer-slash-freelancer that he thought himself to be. 

Which was true about him? The rebel or the soldier? Well… even the person in question didn't know exactly which to choose. A peculiar man indeed.

And this person was exactly who the temple was waiting for. If possible, it would have jumped for joy as it watched the young man explore the remains of the hall. 'Finally! A _true_ adventurer!' it seemed to exclaim. But the reason why its strength had returned and its hope renewed was due to a much deeper meaning. The temple had noticed something else. It had _recognized_ something in him. Something the naked eye could not perceive, and only those that have seen it once in their lifetime can identify. It was an inner light. A strength from within that could only come from the pure of heart. 

And if that was the case… then he was 'the one.'

Its liberator has come.

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

Sage shook his head, blinking a couple of times in an attempt to get rid of the spots idly floating around in his line of vision. _Okay… maybe that wasn't such a good idea,_ he thought dizzily to himself, shutting his eyes to the now visible world around him. He'd belatedly realized, since he couldn't _tell_ in the dark, that he had his eyes _open_ when using ~_Korin_~. A big 'no no' when it involved activating the ~_Weapon_~'s light ability in a pitch-_black_ room. The end result left the young man practically blind with a throbbing headache pounding at his temples. _Mental note to self: **Don't** do that again._

Sage had to admit that he wasn't expecting the light to be that powerful. It confirmed his previous assumption that the blade was at its strongest in the absence of light. God knows how _that's_ possible. But there was still a lot he didn't know about ~_Korin_~, the elemental ~_Weapon_~ that manifested itself in the shape of a double-edged sword. He knew that it was an heirloom passed down from generation to generation along his family lineage. He also knew, from what he remembered of his mythology class, that the sword was a relic from the great Youja'Ningen War, fought between the Goddess of the earth and the invading demon lord, Talpa. It's said that 27 of these ~_Weapons_~ were forged in the heat of battle, each being given its own unique qualities. And with these ~_Weapons_~, the Goddess was able to turn the tide of the war and vanquish Talpa forever. At least, that's how the myth goes. If it really happened or not is questionable, but the fact still remained that these ~_Weapons_~ did exist and were lying scattered across the earth, a constant reminder of its turbulent past. 

Maybe that's why Sage had a fascination with exploring ancient ruins. He wanted to see what he could find out about ~_Korin_~ and the other ~_Weapons_~. Unraveling hidden secrets was like a pastime to him, and the world was a giant vault just waiting for someone to crack its code and get it open. And he was just the person to do it. 

Having had recovered from that unpleasant aftershock, Sage held ~_Korin_~ up in front of him, using it as a guiding light as he walked forward. The hall had taken on a different look, mainly because the light source had switched from a blazing fierce orange to a slightly mellow shade of green. With that change, the chamber appeared darker than it was before, but a lot less hostile. The darkness somewhat mingled with the light emitting from Sage's sword, almost accepting the placid glow instead of combating it for supremacy like it had done with the fire. All in all, the temple grounds seemed a bit more at ease with the swordsman as its companion. 

He smiled in amusement at the thought that the temple was enjoying his presence. _Yeah, well… the feeling's mutual._ He felt at home here. 

Now the reason _why_ he felt that way was beyond him. Being on the road for over a year and exploring every ancient ruin he so happened to run into along the way might have done the trick. But, as Sage climbed up the steps to the elevated platform located towards the front of the hall, he felt that there was something else. Another reason why that would explain his feeling of calm peace in this setting. And also why he seemed immune to the irrational fear that had possessed both Satsuki and Kento. 

Sage decided to ask them about that later. Right now, he wanted to focus on the interior structure of the temple while he still had the time. But what he came across simply stunned him. 

At the center of the platform was an altar made of marble stone… and totally _unscathed_. Taking a step closer to it, he couldn't identify any marring scars. Not even _dust_ littered its surface, completely smooth and shimmering in ~_Korin_~'s light. If Sage didn't know any better, he'd thought that the altar was just put in _today_. But a quick glance at his current surroundings immediately disproved that theory. 

So then… why was this object in perfect condition in spite of the decaying state of its brethren?

Sage lowered the blade of his sword closer to the altar's surface, the light slowly scanning over the stone block. As his eyes searched for some sort of clue that would lead him to an answer, he unconsciously laid his gloved hand flat on the tabletop… and received the shock of his life. 

Literally.

A sudden surge of energy shot up his arm, completely catching him off guard and forcing him to released his grip on his sword. Reflexes taking over, Sage immediately retracted his hand from the marble stone while his other reached for his injured limb. He was vaguely aware of ~_Korin_~ clattering noisily against the altar's surface, his mind dulled by the pain that consumed his arm, right up to his biceps. His right hand held onto his wrist in a deathlike grip, squeezing hard to try and counter the energy's numbing effect and bring feeling back into his arm. But he was shaking so badly that he thought he heard his bones rattling underneath his skin! 

As intense as it was, the odd feeling in his arm soon subsided, the smell of slightly scorched leather and the sound of his own raggedy breath the only reminders of what had just happened. 

Sage exhaled deeply, his chest rising and falling in a methodical, soothing manner until he was sure that his nerves were no longer on edge. His eyes fell back onto his hand cradled in his palm. He opened and closed his fist a couple of times before releasing his wrist and testing his muscles. There was still a small tingling feeling in his arm, but other than that everything seemed to be in order.

_What was that?_ he asked himself, approaching the altar warily. But he never really got his answer, his mind soon occupied with something else. 

Laying flat on the smooth surface was his ~_Weapon_~… still glowing. 

That fact alone made him suspicious. ~_Korin_~ was _never_ able to maintain its power once it left Sage's hand. If it did, it never lasted long. 

But it was still active. Its light still strong. And right underneath the sword, where the blade touched the marble of the altar… were letters. Words. Glowing as bright as the ~_Weapon_~ itself.

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

It took a while for Sage to snap out of his bewilderment, and even longer for him to reach out and lift the sword up from its resting place. His eyes narrowed in contemplation. _The marks disappeared._

Sure enough, once his ~_Weapon_~ was no longer touching the surface, the lettering he saw slowly faded back into the marble till there was no visible remnant of it ever existing. An idea suddenly formulated inside his brain. Placing the edge of his sword at the end of the altar, covering its full length, he slowly ran ~_Korin_~ across its width, the blade scraping the marble surface. As he did so, the altar instantly flared to life, luminescent green text appearing in the sword's wake, revealing a message hidden beneath its glossy exterior. 

But the message only remained exposed for a short time. Not enough for Sage to decipher the archaic print. But he couldn't stop himself from smiling, excitement gleaming in the depths of his lavender eyes. _So I was right!_ he thought happily, exhilarated by his discovery. _The altar is reacting to ~_Korin_~. And I'm almost certain that the energy I felt was lightning._

His thoughts, wandering back to Satsuki and ~_Ailee_~, only affirmed his assumption. 

~_Ailee_~ was his sister's elemental ~_Weapon_~, also one of their family treasures. Fashioned as a small dagger, it didn't look like it could do much damage. That is until Satsuki found out what its _real_ ability was… A means of calling forth lightning. 

Sage snorted in distaste. _Shit, she's shocked me so many times with that damn knife of hers that I'd be a fool if I didn't recognize how electric energy felt!!_

Pushing the memory of his 'training' sessions with Satsuki aside, the young man devoted his energy into decoding the ancient writing lying within the marble stone. He decided to read it letter by letter since trying to translate the entire thing all at once while his grasp on the archaic language wasn't that great was just plain stupid. _Let's just hope that I'm not too rusty with this._

Positioning his sword at the top left hand corner, the tip resting on where he believed the first letter to be, Sage slowly made his way across the altar. Surprisingly enough, it only took him one straight run-through to read the entire message. But so confused was he about its content that he had to read it over again.

"Darkest prison sheds the light," he spoke softly, running ~_Korin_~ over each line as he went along. "See through the spark of falsehood, and cast out the shadows… Then, will the eye of wisdom shine for all…" His voice trailed off at the last phrase, mind meditating over its hidden meaning. Sage knew it was some kind of riddle. A temple secret. 

_But what?_

This was starting to frustrate him. He hated it when he couldn't figure something out. 

Sage was about ready to run his blade over the words again in hopes that some epiphany might come to him when he realized how dim the light from his sword had become. _Damn. I've used too much of ~_Korin_~'s energy._ He'd have to leave now or else the sword's light won't last long enough for him to reach the exit. And stumbling blindly through the dark was not something Sage would have enjoyed. 

Yet, he didn't turn around to leave. Something… had _changed_. He felt it in the air. 

A shift of power. 

Sage's back immediately stiffened, his heartbeat increasing as adrenaline was being pumped through his veins. This new power… he didn't like it at all. It was… cold. Not 'cool' cold. Not even 'icy' cold. But _cold_. As in the kind that can make your blood freeze over. The kind that not even standing in the hottest desert wearing ten thick layers of wool could drive out. It was the kind of coldness that could make any living being turn white as a ghost. Could hold any mortal man captive by its presence alone. The only thing that could cause such fear… without even being conscious of it. 

This power… this coldness… was '_evil_.' 

The temple's spirit was gone. Sage knew it. He no longer had that peace. That feeling of familiarity and comfort that he had experienced earlier. It was all gone. Driven away. Replaced by this new, nefarious presence.

He shivered violently at the feel of it crawling underneath his skin, consuming every part of him, suffocating him in its bone-chilling embrace. His eyes darted to and fro, trying to locate this new presence. If he could find it, if he could _see_ it… then there was a chance that he could kill it. But it seemed to be all around him, emanating from the walls, pounding at him from every corner. How could it have surrounded him so fast? It was almost as if it had been hiding all along. Waiting… till he was alone.

Was this the reason why his sister was so afraid of being here? Had she and Kento sense this ominous power lurking within the temple walls? Why was he oblivious to it? Why didn't he listen to them? Why didn't he _leave_?! 

Sage felt a wave of panic wash over him, anxiety twisting restlessly in the pit of his stomach. _Crap! This isn't good! _

But it only got worse. 

His trusty ~_Weapon_~… The only light source around…

…died. 


	3. Panic Attack

**27 ~_Weapons_~**

By: Little Ucchan

**_Chapter 2:_** Panic Attack

_"Of course I'm @#$%ing scared!! I'm about ready to piss in my pants over here!!" ~Kento_

Bold.

Fearless.

Immovable.

Strong.

What did these words have in common? Well, they were all used to describe one man. From the ash-blue hair that forever remained in a disheveled state to the large metallic boots that clanged noisily against the ground he walked upon, everything about him emanated power. His confidence was abundant. His strength unmatched. And his fighting spirit has never faltered.

Until now.

For some obscure reason, Kento felt the sensation of fear clinging to his mind. Of course, being the kind of man that he was, he concealed it fairly well, not letting his body give away his uneasiness. To anyone else, he seemed just as firm and unyielding as ever. But that still didn't change the fact that his heart was beating so loud in his chest that he wouldn't be surprised if it echoed down the hall!

Why did he feel this way?

When he had first begun this journey to the ruined temple grounds outside of Essa, he was almost as psyched up about it as Sage was. The taste of adventure. That's what he loved. It was the driving force that had lead him practically all over the continent during the three years he'd been traveling. Kento would go _anywhere_ as long as it had the prospect of turning out into one hell of a ride! 

But now… he wasn't so sure. He'd admit that he felt a tinge of hesitation when he caught his first glimpse of the temple. A little more so when they were walking down the corridor to the main hall. And when Satsuki's sense of panic didn't ease, his mind started to swirl with second thoughts and wild, irrational ideas. However, Kento would scarcely show any outward signs of these changes that were happening within him. He wouldn't show weakness, especially to Satsuki. But when Sage stayed behind… that's when he felt a sharp pang inside his chest. And he continued to feel that way the entire time he and Satsuki were walking towards the exit. It wouldn't go away. And he knew why. 

Kento never should have let him go alone. 

But what could he do now? Turn back? And tell Satsuki what? That he thinks that her brother was in danger? 

_Yeah Kento. That would really go well with her,_ he thought sarcastically. _Why don't you just tell her that Sage died or something? It'd still have the same effect._

The young man sighed inwardly. What was he going to do? It was either to continue forward and endure the ominous feeling hovering over his heart or go back and, not only risk looking like a complete fool if he was wrong, but also cause the young girl by his side to go into extreme hysterics the entire way there. Some choice he had, considering that Kento would never forgive himself if something had happened to Sage while he ran away in fear. But… making Satsuki even more afraid than she was now, especially if it turned out to be a false alarm, was something that the he also wished to avoid. He never wanted to put her in a state of distress or into any unnecessary danger. Not while _he_ was acting as her bodyguard. 

Fortunately (or unfortunately, depending on how you look at it) Kento wasn't given a second longer to ponder the issue. A scream rang clear in his ears so suddenly and with such force that he couldn't help but cry out in surprise himself. Only when Satsuki's elbow accidentally slammed into his side, did he jerk to his senses and realize that the scream had come from her.

He opened his mouth to snap at her for giving him such a scare but stopped short of doing so, instead voicing out his concern as he watched her rub her right thigh gingerly. "Suki, what's wrong?"

"I don't know," she replied, unsheathing the dagger from her leg and giving it a bewildered look. A look she and Kento equally shared as ~_Ailee_~ burst into life again, the blade suddenly empowered with fast moving electrical currents.

Kento made a face. "Don't tell me you shocked yourself."

"I did not!" Satsuki cried out indignantly. "It acted up on its own!"

"Its own?" the man repeated skeptically. 

She nodded. 

"Is that even possible?"

"I'm not sure," she sighed, staring at ~_Ailee_~ thoughtfully, her knowledge of the nature of the ~_Weapons_~ only going as far as what her brother knew. From what she remembered, this reaction only happened one other time. _It was last year, I think. When Kento and Sage had that duel and…_

"Oh God…" her eyes widened in pure horror, the thought she had in her mind not having to even finish itself before she was running down the corridor back in the direction of the main hall. "Sage!"

"Suki!!!" Kento yelled, calling to the girl in vain before breaking into a run himself. The flames of the torch came dangerously close to scorning his face as he ran, forcing him to hold his arm up high as he made an effort to catch up to his friend, already well out of his sight. 

"Suki! Wait!!" he hollered again. But all he heard was his own heavy footsteps against the temple floor. _Damn! That girl can run!_ Kento didn't think that she could create such a gap between them. But Satsuki had such a strong urge to find her brother and come to his aid that it was no wonder that she covered that much distance. In the _dark_ no less! Kento would have laughed aloud at the irony of the situation if the act didn't consume the oxygen he needed to take into his lungs. Satsuki, throwing away her previous fears in a heartbeat, just because she believed that Sage was in danger. He'd never known her to be so reckless! But it was a hidden character trait present in both siblings. Something that Kento could relate to himself, but still needed time to get used to seeing in his two traveling companions. Especially in the cool, levelheaded man that he was now worrying over because of the sudden flight of his 'cautious' younger sister. 

_Dammit! _He cursed again, sucking in more breath as he ran. _If Suki's being **this** impulsive, then I can only imagine what kinda shit that idiot's gotten himself into now!_

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *__

Sage blinked back astonished eyes. Hadn't the light from ~_Korin_~'s blade gone out? But his eyes testified to a different story. The chamber was enveloped by a dim green light that he couldn't find the source of. As he looked around bewilderedly, it almost appeared as if the light was coming from within the structure itself. An impossible notion to conceive, but it was true. The walls, ceiling, floor, pillars… they all glowed green. An eerie, mysterious shade that succeeded in making his insides feel queasy. There was something wrong. The evil presence Sage felt earlier had vanished, but this new feeling he had didn't please him. True, this aura he was sensing wasn't as oppressively cold as the atmosphere before, but… there was just something _wrong_. The chamber felt calm but he _knew_ that it was a lie. A façade. The soft glow was hiding something deeper, more hideously sickening, making his head swirl with an approaching wave of nausea. _What was going on here?_

In an instant, Sage jumped back, sword drawn quickly into a ready position when his senses alerted him to movement up ahead. His eyes were riveted to the back wall behind the altar, watching as a portion of the wall began to move forward. His heartbeat escalated with every passing second; going to such speeds that he was soon forced to breathe heavily in order to slow it down. _Am I scared? _His legs felt weak, the sound of the hidden door scraping against the ground grating at his nerves. _Is that why I'm so edgy? Am I afraid of whatever's inside there?_ The door finally swung open, revealing a previously conceal corridor leading to… 

At that moment, Sage didn't really want to find out. That hallway looked ominous. And for the first time, common sense overruled curiosity. Sage took a step back, deciding that it would be in his best interest to leave. Unfortunately, that was going to be a problem. 

He felt forward motion coming from his backside, the luminescent green light _moving_ ahead. He couldn't believe his eyes as the light flooded the murky passageway with its pale glow, as if being sucked in by some invisible vortex, the shift abandoning half of the chamber and leaving it in absolute darkness. Sage was reluctant to look behind him, feeling the completeness of the black void lurking at his back, giving him goose bumps with its callous touch. The contact forced him to step forward and away from it, the feeling of numb iciness threatening to make him lose his nerve. But as Sage stepped forward, the darkness crept up behind him, following his every move and forcing him to move forward again towards the corridor that was waiting for him. 

Something was urging him to go ahead. He couldn't stop it… this darkness. And soon enough, he found himself standing right in front of the entrance, uncertain doom looming before him, and a suffocating darkness towering behind. Sage tightened his grip on ~_Korin_~'s hilt, finding the ~_Weapon_~ to be his only source of comfort, as well as his only line of defense. Taking in a deep breath, he sighed. _Here goes._

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *__

_Oh God oh God oh God oh God! _Satsuki ran at full speed, disregarding the fact that she was practically running blind, the light from ~_Ailee_~'s charged blade not being efficient enough. _Sage! Please be alive!_ The young teenager completely ignored the wounds she received whenever a sharp turn would cut into her pale skin. She would endure any pain to reach her brother, the fact that he was in serious danger the only thing driving her forward. And it _was_ a fact. There was no doubt in her mind that if she didn't reach Sage soon, Satsuki would never see him among the living again. All because of a year ago…

She remembered it clearly… the fight at the capital of Argon against the city guards. How ~_Ailee_~ did the same thing. Shocked its owner into alertness just in time for her to spot the guard coming in at Sage from his left. She remembered… the feeling of upcoming death hovering like a storm cloud overhead. How the halberd would have broken through her brother's light armor… How it would have punctured his lungs… How she would have lost him… forever. 

It was enough.

And before she knew it, Satsuki had drawn her ~_Weapon_~ from its sheath and fired a fast lightning attack to stop the guard cold… and dead. She didn't know what she was doing. She had packed too much power into the attack and hadn't administered any control over it. She just fired. And the effect was deadly. It was a first time she ever killed a man. The last too, since Sage made the effort to train her in how to handle the ~_Weapon_~'s power. But she never forgot that day. Satsuki knew that she chose her brother over the life of that man. And the only reason she was able to save him was because of ~_Ailee_~'s warning. 

And when she had received that same warning again… there was no stopping her. 

_I won't lose him_, she thought, forcefully slamming into another corner with her next turn, but never losing her speed. _I** refuse **to do so!_

Satsuki staggered to a halt when she no longer felt the confining walls of the hallway, feeling instead the vast emptiness of the main audience hall the moment she had entered it. Perspiration clinging to her body, the cool openness of the chamber was a godsend to her hot skin. But she couldn't enjoy it. There was something wrong. Looking from side to side, Satsuki immediately noticed what was bothering her. _Where's Sage? Shouldn't he be in here?_

No. There was nothing. Only darkness, foreboding and menacing.

"Sage…" Her voice came out in a hoarse whisper, the lump of fear already lodging itself deep within her throat. She tried again. This time louder. Again. More forceful. And again. A yell. And again… And again! So complete was her panic that Satsuki soon found herself screaming out his name in uncontrolled terror. "_SAGE_!!!!"

But there was no answer. 

She wasn't aware of her own tears streaming down her face.

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *__

Kento had been watching. 

Despite Satsuki's lead over him, he had managed to reach the main hall a minute or so after her, just in time to witness her break down right before his eyes. In the torchlight, he saw a distressed 16-year-old girl trembling in tears. And the sight broke his heart. This was what he didn't want. He _never_ wanted to see her like this. It meant that his best wasn't enough. Kento couldn't even protect the one he cared for. He couldn't spare her pain. And that ripped at his manhood more than anything in the world. 

Stepping up to her side, he instinctively placed his arm around her, trying to offer her some relief. She gratefully took it, leaning into his strong form. Tears continued to silently fall from her eyes. Neither said a word. 

Not able to find words that would comfort her, Kento took that moment to look around the chamber. He cursed mentally. Sage was nowhere to be found. Even if the room they were in _was_ the main hall, there were only a few noticeable passageways other than the entrance they came through. And all were blocked by debris, effectively stopping anyone from entering._ So where the hell is he?! He couldn't have gone anywhere else. _

Kento frowned in disdain. _That moron! Knowing him, he probably traveled down some hidden passageway and got lost in this stupid piece of—Hey! That's it! _

Satsuki looked up from her misery when she suddenly felt the warmth of Kento's body leave her, the young man pulling away to walk towards the center of the room. Standing at its center in thoughtful contemplation, he stared at the floor for a long time. He smiled an irrepressibly large grin when he caught sight of Sage's footprints, faint in the dirt covering the granite floor. Following the tracks up the platform and around the altar, he came to a stop in front of the back wall.

_It ends here._ He scratched his head with his free hand, looking around his feet, trying to figure out why the footprints abruptly disappeared. His eyes immediately fell upon a line of dirt resting to one side. _It looks like it was pushed aside, by…_ Looking at the wall again, Kento spotted a vertical line running up the middle of it. Following the line, he traced the path with his eyes, the depression forming _…a hidden door! _

Smiling again to himself at his accomplishment, he approached it at one side, running a hand against the stone wall. With one sharp knock, he rapped on one side of the line._ Solid. _A short pause later he repeated the movement on the opposite side and received favorable results. _Hollow. _

"Yes!!" he shouted in triumph, receiving a bewildered but hopeful look from Satsuki, who, by that time, had reached Kento's side. 

He gave her one of his grins, the one that she had known to identify as a harbinger of good news. "Suki, fire ~_Ailee_~ at this wall!" he directed. "Do it as hard as you can!!"  

Satsuki gazed at him with confused emerald eyes, only to be greeted back with that same grin. "C'mon! Time's a wastin'! You wanna reach your brother, don't you?"

She immediately lit up with those words, the glitter in her eyes returning with renewed hope. "Kento…" she started, raising her arm and taking aim. "…Thank you."

He didn't need to hear her words of thanks. To him, her smile was enough.

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *__

Sage stopped. Guided through the numerous passageways by the ever-present luminescent green light, he came to a halt in one corridor, reaching a dead end that he knew was all but that. And he was right. The wall lifted, sliding upward to expose a hidden chamber. 

He took a step back, hesitant to go through. The energy emitting from the inside of the room was revolting. It was the same one that had accompanied the green atmosphere, but to a more severe degree, as if this room was the source of that vile aura. But as much as it made him sick to his stomach, Sage felt compelled to step inside. No longer did he feel he was being pushed from behind, but now he was being drawn forward. And he knew why. Right in front of him, at the center of the farthest wall, was a tall pedestal. And floating above it, bathed in a clear beam of white light, was a small round orb colored in a green hue. 

Sage stepped inside, eyes glued to the glistening marble that gleamed like an exotic gem. With every step, he felt the power emanating from it. How it was calling him to take it. Tempting him to indulge in a little extravagance that wasn't known to any living being. To claim its power as his own. He wasn't aware that there were others watching him as he slowly advanced, urging him along as well… but for a darker, more sinister purpose. 

He blinked, abruptly stopping in the middle of the room. Looking down, Sage watched in astonishment as his ~_Weapon_~ came to life, flickering wildly in his hand and then slowly calming down. He didn't know what to make of it. Nor was he given time to deliberate the matter, the shining orb calling to him once again. He didn't even take a full step forward before ~_Korin_~ acted up again, this time quivering in his hand as it blinked on and off. He tightened his grip on the sword, not really knowing if the trembling was the ~_Weapon_~'s doing or his own shaking hand. Hoping to stop this madness, Sage sheathed his sword, the rattling of the blade continuing for a moment longer before all was quiet once again. 

Sage gazed at ~_Korin_~, confused at its actions, for it never reacted like this before. It was showing a will of its own, a notion that was disturbing at the very least. To think, a weapon acting independent of its owner. But then again, this _was_ an ancient relic. 

Glancing back at the floating orb, he tried hard to resist the influence it exercised over him. Although Sage wasn't exactly clear on what vexed ~_Korin_~ so much, he recognized a warning when he saw one. And there was something about that object suspended in front of him that wasn't right. And yet, it was so desirable at the same time. He wanted to pull away, even tried to. But still, no matter how strong his resolve was, Sage found himself giving in to human weakness. 

He was now standing on the upraised platform right in front of the marble pedestal. The orb was barely a foot away from his face. He reached out his hand to touch it, but immediately received a hostile response from ~_Korin_~. The ~_Weapon_~ jerked and wobbled within the confinements of its sheath, refusing to stay put for its owner's sake. 

He knew what ~_Korin_~ was telling him. 'Get away!!' it screamed. But he was too close to the orb to comply. He felt his hand restricting ~_Korin_~'s movement as the other reached out against his will. He couldn't move back, shutting his eyes tight as his fingers inched closer to the deadly object. _Shit!!_

"SAGE!!" 

He immediately snapped his hand back, the spell broken the instant his sister's voice penetrated through his skull and entered his mind. 

"Satsuki?" he gasped in surprise, turning around to see his little sister standing in the doorway. She was panting heavily, on the brink of collapsing from exhaustion. But she still managed to run up to Sage and wrap her arms around him in a fierce hug.

"Oh God, you're alive!!" she cried, breaking down into tears. "You're alive… I can't believe… that you're alive!"

"Satsuki…" Sage placed his arms around her, just glad to have his sister close to him again. Right now, he was in desperate need for this kind of comfort. 

Of course, a good thing like this never lasts for long.

"You jackass!!" Satsuki screamed, punching him in the arm. "I thought you _died_!! Don't ever do that again!!!"

He rubbed his sore arm, chuckling lightly. "I'm sorry Satsuki."

But his sister could tell that he didn't mean it because of the way he smiled at her. "This isn't funny! I was worried about you!"

"I know…" he sighed, unable to put up a decent fight. He was just too happy to see Satsuki to work up a good argument. Since she had entered the chamber, the aura that had been following him had disappeared almost instantaneously. The green glow was gone. The temple had returned to the state it was in when they had first entered it, which was a major load off of Sage's mind. He felt safe once again. 

Well… for a moment he did. 

Finally realizing that they weren't alone, Sage looked back towards the doorway. Kento was standing there, torch in hand and a scowl on his face. 

"Are you going to yell at me too?" Sage asked when the larger man had crossed over to their side of the room in very short, quick strides. 

He huffed, placing an annoyed hand on his hip. "No. I'll just save that privilege till after we get out of here."

"So… you're mad at me."

"What do _you_ think!?"

He sighed. "You're mad."

"SAGE!!" Kento yelled, barely restraining himself from leaping forward and strangling him. "I would _kill_ you right now if it didn't defeat the purpose of us trying to find you to begin with!! Do you _realize_ how much of a panic you put us through?!"

"I thought you were going to yell at me _after_ we got out of here."

"@#$% you!!"

"That's enough!!" 

Both men grew silent, turning their heads to their female companion. 

"Kento, calm down," Satsuki advised him, stopping him cold with a stern look when he showed signs of an argument. "And Sage," she added, turning towards her brother. "Stop acting like an ass." The blonde wisely kept his mouth shut. 

"There's to be no fighting until we get out of here. Okay?" 

"Yes ma'am," they replied simultaneously, a bit _too_ energetic for her liking. 

"No smart-aleck remarks either," Satsuki snapped. "Now let's go."

She started to walk out when Kento gently caught her arm, pulling her back. "Kento? Wha…"

He didn't look at her, instead keeping his eyes fixated on Sage. The man was standing in front of the pedestal, gazing blankly at something. 

Coming up to her brother's side, Satsuki quietly hooked her arm around his. "Sage?" she called out hesitantly. 

No reply.

Satsuki looked up at his face from where she stood, following his gaze to the pedestal backed up against the wall. There was nothing there. Looking back at her brother, she tried to read his expression. She was able to discern nothing at first. But of course, she knew how good Sage was at hiding things. Gazing directly into his visible eye, she could now tell what was swirling beneath those lavender orbs. Confusion. He was confused. But of what?

"Sage?" she tried again, but failed to get his attention. Only when Kento placed a firm hand on Sage's shoulder did he snap out of his reverie, turning his head to the side to look at him. 

"Hey man. You alright?"

"…Yeah," he replied, looking back at where the orb had once been. "Yeah, I'm fine."

"C'mon Sage," Satsuki tugged at his arm. "Let's go." 

"…Yo!" Kento swiped a hand in front of the blonde's face when he didn't make a move to leave, once again breaking into Sage's thoughts. "Let's go, man! The sooner we get out of here, the better."

"Right. But…" He paused, looking both at Kento and Satsuki. "Did you guys see anything over here?" Sage asked, gesturing towards the pedestal. 

"No," Kento replied.

"I didn't see anything," Satsuki added. 

"Are you sure?" he asked skeptically. "I mean I swear I saw…"

Kento shook his head, placing both hands on his friend's shoulders. "Sage… this place is seriously having a weird affect on you. We have to leave… _Now_."

Unfortunately, the explorer in him suddenly came back in full. Although he really didn't object to the idea of leaving, Sage wanted to know exactly what happened to him when he was alone in the temple. Was he just imagining it all, or was there really something strange going on here? He needed to find out. 

But Kento knew what Sage was thinking. And there was no way in hell he was going to let him get his way. "Sage, I swear if you don't move right now I will haul you _off_ your ass and _carry_ you all the way outside!!"

He blinked at the forcefulness of the threat. No doubt Kento would go through with it if Sage pushed him too far. But instead of taking it seriously, being used to Kento's fighting nature, Sage immediate came up with a parry. 

"Kento, if I didn't know any better… I'd think you're scared." 

No man would let that comment slide, and Sage was certain that Kento would blow up at the remark. And he did… Just not in the way he thought he would.

"Of course I'm @#$%ing scared!!" he screamed. "I'm about ready to piss in my pants over here!!"

"Kento—"

"I don't care if you laugh," he cut him off. "And I don't care if you make fun of me. But the truth is… I. Am. Scared." He enunciated those last three words very clearly. "I'll admit it. I'm scared. This place is scaring the shit out of me! It is the _epitome_ of scariness!" Kento rambled on. "And I want to leave! I want to run out of here and never look back. _That's_ how scared I am! And if we _don't_ leave right now I'll KNOCK you over the head and DRAG you out by force!!"

Sage was left totally speechless. He had no idea that Kento felt that way! He didn't even think it was possible for a guy like him, someone who's fought more fights than he's had dinner, to be scared of anything!! He didn't even _flinch_ when Sage was in a blind rage and assaulted him on the streets of Metna. And that's saying much since the swordsman was a deadly adversary whenever he was angry. So of course he was surprised when Kento admitted that an ancient temple scared him to death. 

"I agree with Kento, Sage," Satsuki pitched in. "There's something wrong about this place. We should go."

Even if his mind readily agreed with them both, his mouth said something totally different. 

"Don't you guys think you're overreacting?"

"Sage…" Patience was ebbing away.

"I mean, it's just a temple."

"Sage—" Irritation was seeping in.

"What could it possibly do to us?"

"Sage! We're leaving!!" Another comment would bring the tolerance level down to zero.

Silence.

"…But—"

"NOW!!"


	4. The Devil's Advocate

**27 ~_Weapons_~**

By: Little Ucchan

**_Chapter 3:_** The Devil's Advocate

_"Come over here and speak with me. Unless you have too much pride to lower yourself from that high chair of yours." ~Cale_

The sky was painted black over the mountain horizon; small white holes called stars puncturing the thick backdrop to offer some of its light to the dark world that the night has created. But it was not enough. The world had stopped for the evening. It was time to rest. Time to relax. Replenish the tired soul with energy for the next day. But some places never rest. And one city could not, or rather it would not, distinguish the difference between night and day.

Metna, the largest city in the world, did not tire. It never did, the corona created by the many street lamps always illuminating the night skies with its iridescent glow. There was always something to do in Metna. Day or night. It wasn't a place to pass by.

No. With its endless parties, countless events, and its historical heritage, not to mention it being the location of the famous Compass Point Lodgings (CPL), Metna was a city too enticing to pass up, travelers usually staying three to four days at the least in the golden capital of the country of Argon. The 'Center of the Universe' as it was usually called; a microcosm of the world that surrounded it.

There was always something to do in Metna. Even if you were a weary traveler only looking for a place to stay, an inn's agenda for the evening would be enough to keep you entertained and fed till late into the night. And if you were lucky enough to stay in one of the CPLs… you wouldn't want to leave the next day.

That's how one young man felt, eating gourmet cooking and being served fine wine by one of the numerous good-looking waitresses in the inn's dining hall. _The Northern Lights, was it?_ The place where he would be staying for the night? He could hardly believe that there was a room available, this inn being one of the busiest out of the nine inns that made up the profitable partnership business.

Yes… _Nine_ inns. One for each direction. Including the founding inn, Central, located right in the heart of Metna. Inevitably, it's the hardest inn to get into, but the most desired. Nothing less that the royal treatment is given to guests who come to stay there. Many famous and important people hold their parties at Central as well, so of course tourists, and even inhabitants of the city, would want to stay there at least for a night in hopes of catching a glimpse of a popular celebrity.

_Forget the celebrities,_ the man thought, taking another swig of his drink. It'd just be fun to stay there and be treated like a king, being waited on hand and foot with countless beautiful single women attending to his every command. _Heaven._

It'd also be fun to be rich for a change. The career of a freelance mercenary wasn't exactly the most stable of jobs out there. But he had to admit he liked what he did. _Just wish I'd get a break one of these days._

He inclined his head in gratitude to the waitress who took the time to refill his glass. _Well… a bigger break, that is._ He wasn't exactly poor. One the contrary. He just came back from San Felico, one of the tropical island nations south of Argon, and the ideal vacation spot in his opinion. It was a bit too hot to his liking, but the fact that many of the inhabitants, native or foreign, believed that swimwear was the normal dress attire had made his week. _Ah, the bikini-clad goddesses of San Felico…_ Could he help it that he was a normal guy? He smiled at the thought of how Sala would have reacted to his girl chasing has she accompanied him on his trip. 

_Sala…_

And Kit, and Gordo, and Meli. That's why he needed more money.

Finishing up his dinner and downing his glass in one gulp, Cale reclined back into his seat, watching the latest stage singer do her act. It was a simple number, satisfying the calm, cool air that was the atmosphere of the dining hall. He remembered that The Northern Lights was known for its classy feel. Not the elegant type, but the kind of style that was dominated by jazz-like music, with solo female singers, saxophone players, and other musicians of equal talent. Cale deduced that the music was what made eating at this inn more enjoyable than at the others. It added to the flavor of the food and made every meal a relaxing pastime. Even the wine tasted better here.

A mocking smile crossed his lips. _If only the singer were better._

True, Compass Point wouldn't hire and incompetent, but he could tell that she was still an amateur. Possibly her first night performing for the lodging, if he took her slightly shaking hand as any indication. Poor girl. Maybe he shouldn't criticize her like that. It must be hard being the new girl. But at the moment, he was in one of his moods, having a desire for real classy music. Now if only there was a performer out there that would measure up to his expectations.

The gods must have been listening to Cale's silent request for once the song came to a close the lights in the dining room dimmed, casting a soft shadow across the floor. The spotlight shone on the velvet blue curtains of the stage and out came an elegant woman with hair the color of the moonlight and pale sky blue eyes, making an onlooker think of pure snow in the wintertime. All was quiet as she took center stage, the figure-flattering dress she wore shimmering with every movement. Alas, a professional has come to entertain them tonight.

But wait! Has he seen this woman before?

Cale felt a tinge of recognition as the song began to play, her voice easily blending in with the music from the accompanying pianist. _I've heard this melody._

He must have seen her perform at another place sometime during his travels, for the match between the face and the song was undeniable. _But where? Metna maybe?_ It was possible, being the only city he knew that had nightclubs fitted to the style she sang. And yes, it was at a nightclub. This is the first time he's stayed at The Northern Lights, and all the other CPLs he's stayed in didn't play this kind of music. Central would, but he's never had the privilege of staying there. So it had to be a nightclub. Now which one?

_Aha!!_ Cale snapped his fingers as the thought came to him. Cardinal Flower. That was the name of the club. _Now for her name… Um… Um…_ He continuously snapped his fingers as he thought, hoping that the clicking sound would jog his memory. _I know this!!_

Right when he had it at the tip of his tongue, a guest, irritated by the noise he was making, nudged the leg of Cale's chair hard enough to grab the man's attention and stop his incessant snapping. Cale gave the man an apologetic look before turning back to the dazzling woman as she closed her song for the evening. She bowed as a round of applause began to gather itself in the room. A standing ovation was in order, so Cale stood along with the rest of the diners, showing his gratitude by applauding and whistling loudly. She bowed one more time before exiting the stage, walking down the staircase to go and mingle with a few of the guests. 

_Maybe she'll come over to my table and have a drink with me. _The thought made his lips curl up into a smile. A drink with an enchanting stage singer… That would be an ideal way to end his evening. Cale sat back down in his seat, not taking his eyes off of the beautiful vixen that was now holding a conversation with a young couple. _I'll talk to her before she leaves,_ he thought, absently taking note of the waiter who had suddenly approached his table. He nodded his head slightly, accepting the boy's offer to pour him more wine and not giving him another thought until Cale noticed that the young servant did not move to leave. Instead, he lingered for an uncertain moment as if he were debating inside his head whether to speak what was on his mind. 

"Uh… sir?" he began tentatively, not liking the look the blue-haired man was giving him. And the long sword strapped onto the mercenary's belt wasn't helping any. There should have be a rule about brining weapons into the dining hall.

"Um… that man, on the edge of the bar wishes to speak with you," he managed to stutter out, drawing Cale's attention to a tall, thin man possibly in his late twenties casually sipping at his drink, his back to the two of them. Cale slightly frowned, a small pang clinging to his mind the moment he laid eyes on him. He's not ordinary. That's for sure.

"Um… he'd like it if you would meet with him," the waiter continued after another uncertain pause, the pounding of his heart making his throat dry. "Shkoll's Tavern. After the late dinner hour… It's rather urgent, he says. And…"

"If it's so urgent then why doesn't he come over here himself instead of sending a servant to do his work?" Cale demanded, turning his rough eyes onto the unfortunate messenger, watching the boy as he cowered under his sharp gaze. "Tell him exactly what I say. 'Come over here and speak with me. Unless you have too much pride to lower yourself from that high chair of yours'."

With a very small nod, the waiter backed away from his table, almost tripping over his own two feet as he made his way to the _Sorcerer_. A foul taste entered Cale's mouth at the very thought of that word, as if the mentioning of a Sorcerer, or the country of Celdonia for that matter, made him sick to his stomach. 

It was true that probably everyone who was born in Argon that had a love for the art of combat would have a deep resentment towards graduates from the Celdonian Institution of the Higher Arts (CIHA), and vise versa. Weapons versus Magic. Force against Mind. These two powers have always clashed, no matter what point in the history of man. And in this modern day and age, now was no different from back then. 

Cale was no exception.

Other than the fact that he despised the usage of magic, seeing it as a 'dishonorable' way to do combat, the young man could never stand Celdonians in general. For a small country, they had a rather high sense of pride that one can almost classify as arrogance. It was a type of haughtiness that was not normally present in a defeated nation. And yet it still remained. Even now, three years after the country's old regime was defeated and the new Republic of Celdonia was created, that stuck up 'I'm better than you' attitude still remained. 

And the stench of rich blood reeked from that man, Like a bloodhound on the hunt, Cale could sniff out anyone of Celdonian descent, even if that man was dressed in smooth-flowing oriental silk robes from Altai, Argon's neighbor to the east. Having had spent a good five years of his life among its citizens, he knew that the lanky man with long white hair was not a native of the eastern country.

_So…_ He took a small sip of his wineglass, not taking his eyes off of him as the waiter delivered his message with much reluctance. _A well-traveled Sorcerer of Celdonian aristocracy wishes to speak with the likes of me._ He smiled ruefully to himself. _Well, once he hears of my message, he won't want to any longer._ No Celdonian, especially a Sorcerer, would comply with a mercenary's demands. Especially one from Argon.

_Now maybe I can enjoy the rest of my evening in peace and get back to—_

The white-haired man rose from his seat and, with his glass and wine bottle in hand, approached Cale's table. 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

Gently placing his own glass back on the tabletop, Cale used the time the man took to reach him in order to compose himself, having had received a bad shock when, instead of muttering some audacious comment and storming away, the Celdonian decided to take him up on his rather rude offer. _This man… _His hand unconsciously fell to rest on top of the hilt of his sword. _He's different but…_

The Sorcerer stopped in front of Cale, giving him a disarming smile.

_…But how? And why do I suddenly feel on edge?_

"Forgive me if I was rude in any way. I didn't mean for you to take offense," he began in a cordial manner, bowing apologetically to him. "I hope you'll accept my apology and allow me to share a drink with you." He sloshed around the contents of the bottle. "There's still some left. How about it?"

As much as he wanted to accept his offer, especially since he carried in his hand a stronger bottle of liquor compared to the soft wine the servants were serving, Cale quietly shook his head. "I'll accept your apology. But as for the drink, I'll have to say no."

"And why is that?" he asked, a bit puzzled. "Excuse me for saying, but you don't seem to be the type to decline a free drink."

"True." He nodded. "But then again, you don't seem like the type to be a member of the Guild."

The man's lips curled up into a knowing smile. "Nice counter," he commented, seating himself in the empty chair across from Cale. "No more games. I'll get right down to the point as to why I am here."

He nodded, secretly grateful that revealing this man's identity straight to his face didn't have any unwanted setbacks. _So… he didn't try to kill me._ A Guild member, when unwittingly discovered, usually attacks on the spot. Now, how did he know this? Well, Cale has made the mistake of pointing out members for sport several times and had to duel with each member whose cover he had blown. They were very anal about it too, since part of their training had to do with being inconspicuous, and found it a blow to their pride once Cale had asked, in the middle of a busy street corner, if the Guild paid them to wear those stupid get-ups or was it due to just bad taste on their part. But then again, if he were to repeat lines similar to those to any other man in the city, the same result would have come about, regardless.

_The Guild…_

Not much was known about the organization, other than its members were hired out on missions all across the globe. Kinda like an employment group for mercenaries of exceptional skill and expertise. And if you had enough money, you could send a request to the Guild and hire their members' services.

_But… _Cale frowned inwardly to himself, watching the man quietly as he took a sip of his drink. _Only the newbies and less skilled Guild members are assigned to jobs from outside clients._ Those were the types of members that the people were familiar with. The acting men for hire. _And they never traveled alone, so…_ He again looked at the pure silver pin clipped on the inside of the man's collar; the one that identified him as a Guild member. _Could he be an Elitist? But what business would he have with me?_

After a slight pause, the white-haired man pulled the glass away from his lips, setting it gently on the table. "I see you're looking at my pin."

Cale nodded. "I've never seen a Guild member wear a metal spider as a certification pin before."

He smirked that knowing smirk again. "That's because I am the only member who carries such a pin."

The swordsman did well in hiding his surprise. "So I was right in assuming that you're one of the few elite members of the Guild."

A short nod. "And I was right in assuming that you were the man I was looking for, Cale."

"…So the Guild does spying as well."

"Frankly it wasn't hard to do," he said. "You have a rather well established reputation among the Guild."

Cale blinked, confused. "What do you mean?"

The Celdonian started to laugh. "Don't act like you don't know! Did you not fight and defeat three Blue Medal Juniors when you were only 16?"

At that, the mercenary immediately stood up from his seat, slamming his palms flat down on the dining table. "You guys still _remember_ that?!" Cale cried, fully astonished. "That was almost ten years ago!!!"

"Well," he stroked his chin thoughtfully. "They were rather upset when they returned back to base. Took them nearly a year to get their morale up again." That familiar smirk returned. "Besides, that incident wasn't the only time your name has popped up among the Guild. You've lead a rather interesting life since that day."

Cale quietly sat back down in his seat, looking at the man uneasily. "I hope the Guild isn't going to hold any of those other 'incidents' against me."

The Sorcerer shook his head, a bit amused. "You're safe, so long as all of your encounters were with Juniors."

A nod. "They're the only ones that handle outside jobs, right?"

"You're well informed," he commented. "The three ranks of the Junior class — Red, Blue, and Yellow Medal — are the only Guild members that handle client calls."

_Three ranks, huh?_ He was aware of the split between Juniors, Seniors, and Elitists, but Cale didn't know that there were subdivisions. Actually, there was a lot he didn't know about the Guild. Most of his information came from bits and pieces that he was able to piece together during his travels, unraveling the basic layout of the group. But his knowledge was extensively on the Juniors. He knew next to nothing about what the Seniors or Elitists did, or anything about the founders of the organization. Neither did anyone else. The Guild was very secretive when it came to its own affairs.

And yet here was a member of its elite willingly giving out information. 

_Why?_

"You said that I was the one you were looking for."

The Celdonian nodded.

"For what?" Cale asked, looking at the man square in the eyes. "What is it exactly that you want from me? What does the Guild want?"

There was a considerable pause that followed his question, the chatter of the late night diners drifting by both men's ears as soft jazz music mingled with the cluster of voices. 

Finally, the man leaned back in his chair, resting his folded hands in his lap. "I'm here to present you with a job offer."

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *__

He knew he must have been sitting there in silence for quite some time. Several servants had passed by their table, some lingering for a moment while others came right up to them to ask if they needed anything. Dais had taken the initiative and ordered another bottle of liquor from the bar. 

_Dais…_

That's what the Celdonian's name was. 

He had willingly volunteered it when he had explained the details involving the job, the pay, and who it was he was going to be working with. Apparently, three of the Guild's best Elitists, Dais included, were in the middle of an ongoing mission where new assignments were given to them as they went along traveling across the globe. And Cale was being offered to be an add-on for this quest to help the three Guild members with their assignments. The other two, names not yet given, were to meet with him before the next job, if he were to agree. And as for the pay… _A regular salary of `1500 deices a week plus the freedom to keep any treasure or money that might be obtained throughout the journey. _It couldn't get any better than that. 

But still… for some reason he couldn't commit himself to say yes. Thus explaining the long period of silence that has been predominant at their table for the past half-hour. Luckily, Dais was a rather patient individual.

"Was there something else you wanted to know?" he asked, bringing the brim of the finely shaped glass to his lips. "Just ask me, if you like."

"Why me?"

"I beg your pardon?"

"Why pick me?" Cale repeated again. "You have three Elitists on the job already. Why do you need another member, and an outsider at that?" 

Dais continued to sip at his drink. "If it bothers you, we can arrange it so that you'll be a Guild member of my ranking. Your salary, of course, will be much higher than what you're being offered right now."

Cale had to take a quick gulp of his drink in order to wash down the sudden dryness in his throat. _He's offering me to become a member of the Guild? And an **Elitist** as well?! _Now he _knew_ there was something wrong with this offer. They wanted him for something. And he doubted that it was just for the mission, especially when they'd go so far as to allow him into the Guild. _They can't be trusted. Not for anything. _

But to pass up this kind of offer…

_Sala… _Cale thought back to the girl he had left behind in Havenglade. _Sala I… I want you to see the clear waters of San Felico… just once…_

That was it. He had made up his mind.

"Well, with the current terms that you have offered me, I have no choice but to refuse."

"What?"

"Sorry to have wasted your time… But I can't accept." 

Dais stared at him for a moment before diverting his eyes. "I see. Well, it is your choice after all. But may I ask what made you come to that decision?"

"It's rather… complicated." The mission's line of work involved all sorts of things. Maybe even a few tasks that Cale wouldn't want to carry out. Some — like assassination — went against his self-established code of honor. _And having a contract with the Guild meant following every order to the letter. _No, he couldn't commit to something like that. Especially since he didn't know what they really wanted with him. He'd be a fool to jump headlong into something he didn't understand or couldn't back out of. _No one severs a contract with the Guild and lives to see daylight. I can't get involved with such an organization._

"A mercenary's life has no guarantees," Dais spoke softly, catching Cale's attention. "You of all people should know that."

"I do. But, I'd also like to think that I have some guarantees that can't be taken away from me, so long as I lead this life of mine."

A small smile crossed his face. "You're talking about freedom, aren't you."

"That's what it means to be a freelancer, doesn't it?"

"…Yes it does." Dais nodded. "I understand your reasons."

"Good. Then I hope you'll make sure that the Guild understands those reasons as well." Cale rose from his seat, seeing that it was late and the conversation was coming to a close. "I'd like to continue living my life the way it is, if you don't mind."

"No," he smiled, also rising from his seat and outstretching his hand to the other man. "No, not at all. I'm glad that I was able to spend an evening with you."

"It was a pleasure." Taking Dais' hand firmly in his, Cale said his final good-byes and retired to his room, leaving the Elitist standing in the middle of the dining hall. Not a moment after Cale was out of sight that same smirk of his graced his long face. He sat back down at the table, pouring himself another glass of wine and, strangely enough, pouring the remaining contents of the bottle in Cale's empty one. 

Leaning back in his chair sipping his drink, Dais waited.

A few minutes later, a young man of his early twenties walked into the dining hall, his straight red hair flowing behind him as he approached Dais, taking the seat across from him. Accepting the offered glass, he downed half of it before he spoke. "I hope that you have a plan to cover up this setback."

"Of course. You don't need to worry."

Although reassured by these words, the newcomer still seemed overly concerned about something. "I don't know. Do we really need him? He seems like he'll cause trouble."

"I doubt he'll break your record, Anubis."

The redhead snorted. "Very funny. But you know what I mean. He's not like us."

"I know." The Celdonian took another casual sip, concealing the smile that split his handsome face. "But he will be."


	5. The Morning After

**27 ~_Weapons_~**

By: Little Ucchan

**_Chapter 4:_** The Morning After

_"Geez, Sage. Can't I show my affection for you once in a while?" ~Kento_

Stretching his arms above his head, Cale let out a bear-like yawn as the sunlight of the early morning hours seeped through his shuttered window. Blanking for a moment, the young man reluctantly hauled himself out of bed, picking up his lazily discarded clothes from the other night. 

Truth be told, he'd rather not leave Metna so soon. He was actually planning on hitting a few taverns, how numerous they were, in hopes of uncovering a new job opportunity. That was the problem with being self-employed. You had to actively look for a job and sell yourself if you wanted to make a living. But being a veteran of the game, with a nice ten-year resume of experience to show for it, he knew how to land a job. _Though it would be nice to be paid a salary for a change. _

Cale mentally winced, appalled when he found himself wishing he had agreed to Dais' 'generous' offer. _Snap out of it! _He plopped down on the edge of his bed, snapping on one of his shin guards and yanking his boot over the armored plating. _Just forget what happened last night._

Alas, he couldn't forget. He was departing Metna prematurely because of it. 

He couldn't stay. Not when the Guild was aware of his location. _What a pain._ Cale wasn't the type to run, but he knew when the odds were stacked against him. He could only hope that Dais would keep his word and keep the Guild off his back. He'd _normally_, never trust a Celdonian Sorcerer who also happened to be an Elitist. That was trouble times _three_! However, oddly enough, he had taken a liking to the aristocratic gentleman. 

There were a few things he had picked up from the white-haired man, most not being spoken to him directly. For one, he knew that, although a Sorcerer, Dais didn't graduate from CIHA. The course curriculum had almost all students graduating by the age of thirty. 28 for the gifted. And until then, apprentice Sorcerers never left Celdonia. Dais, on the other hand, has spent some time in Altai (explaining his clothes), and is a reputable Guild member of the highest rank, a feat that could not possibly be accomplished overnight. Considering that Dais is only in his late twenties, he could not have graduated from the Celdonian Institute of the Higher Arts. He either got kicked out or dropped out himself, either outcome earning a few brownie points with Cale, who despised the institution and what it taught. Plus, Dais didn't demonstrate that Celdonian pride that was characteristic of _all_ the country's citizens. It made him more tolerable to be around. Perhaps, even amiable. 

But… he _was_ from the Guild, so Cale couldn't take his trust with him _that_ far. Dais was just following his orders. That was it. Though it irked him that he had to constantly reminding himself of that. The truth was, at the close of their conversation that night, he felt the Celdonian had _empathized _with him. He _knew_ Cale's reasons, because they were his own, at one point. The mercenary was certain of this. Dais lived a carefree life on the edge, during some moment in time. So in a way, Cale couldn't help but trust him to not have the Guild pursue him after his rejection of their offer. 

He snorted in disgust, pulling on his light, slim-fitting jacket over his short sleeve and buttoning it up halfway. _You're getting soft, Cale. Guild members don't 'empathize' with anyone. _He roughly pulled his chest protector over his head, clicking into the place the latches on either side of his ribcage in order to secure the armor around his torso. He shook his head. _Too soft._

Cale stood up, and in one fluid motion, draped his red cape around his shoulders, fastening it with a gold clasp that hung loosely around his neck. He put on his shoulder guards next. Fixing the collar of the cape in the wall mirror across the room, he checked his appearance before moving to the washbowl on the table. Pouring in some fresh water from the pitcher the maid had left him, he briskly splashed his face, wiping himself dry with a nearby hand towel. Cale then clasped the last pair of guards around his forearms, straightening up the fabric underneath before he deemed himself ready to go. 

But where to? He had no destination as of yet. And the sun was beginning to rise high above the rooftops of the city. 

He sat back down on the bed and fell back onto the mattress, letting his arms dangle from the opposite side. His fingers brushed against something long and smooth. Further prodding identified the object as his sword. Cale grabbed the sheath and held out the weapon in front of him, mesmerized by the glistening polished finished of the hilt and scabbard. He had studied fencing in Altai, and had a beautiful, well kept, nodachi to show for it. Cale loved swords. Especially this one. 

The mercenary gripped the handle of the blade, unsheathing it halfway, watching how the sun's rays reflected off the surface of the stainless metal. He wondered when was the last time he got himself involved in a really good sword fight. It's been so long. Lately, he's just been traveling, doing odd jobs here and there. Where was his edge? Where did the exhilaration of his youth go? 

He knew the answer to that one. 

_Havenglade. _

Cale smirked, sheathing his sword and leaping onto his feet. Maybe it was about time he headed back home and paid his childhood friend a visit.

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *__

The huge structure loomed before him. Dark. Shady. Almost ready to swallow him alive if he wasn't careful. He had heard the rumors of this temple, and although he was certain half of them were lies, he was surprised to find that all the descriptions of the ruins were quite consistent. Same with the overall emotion present when he heard the tales circling around Essa. Every person who had told him about it had described a type of paranoia that had consumed them upon their encounter. Some were actually still _jittery_ when speaking to him of their experience with the temple ruins. And he understood why. Standing right in front of the entrance hallway, an unexplainable chill ran down his spine. He didn't know what had caused it, for he wasn't afraid at the prospect of entering the ruins. But nonetheless, his body was reacting to something that he couldn't explain. And that uncertainty was probably what was preventing him from entering now. 

"Freaky place." 

He didn't turn to his companion, studying the heavy stone structure with his eyes, hoping that maybe he'd find out why he felt this way. 

The woman crossed her arms, not in scorn, but rather to keep herself warm. "Is it here?"

"No." 

She looked at him disbelievingly, that expression on his face meaning anything but the fact. "No?" she questioned when he didn't elaborate. "Then what—?"

"Shh…" He raised a finger to his lips, asking for silence. Closing his eyes, the man fell into a trance-like state as the world around him slowly slipped away from his conscience. She waited till he was finished, knowing better than to disturb her partner when he was 'searching.' But that didn't mean she was waiting patiently. 

The tapping of her foot against the ground and the eerie wind that whistled past them on occasion were the only two sounds that could be heard early that morning. She looked around her uncertainly, taking in the old, mossy look of the temple they were investigating. It didn't seem that bad. Heaven knows she's seen worse. But yet… she couldn't help but feel uneasy.

After waiting for an exceedingly long period of time, not being able to stand the silence any longer, she called out to him. "Well?"

He calmly opened his eyes, and as the effects of his meditation slowly wore off, his face became more and more disturbed. "I sense… a great source of power." 

"A great source of… Do you know what's causing it?" 

"Not exactly." He shook his head, then added as an afterthought, "It could be a ~_Weapon_~…"

"But?" she asked, knowing there was more. 

He frowned. "There's something different about it," he confessed, shrugging his shoulders in an apologetic manner. "At this point, I can't be certain _what _it is."

"Then we should go in," the woman stated, clenching her fist. "Right?" 

The lack of response made her resolve weaken, subduing her eagerness to rush forward. "Right, Ryo?" she asked again, looking at her partner for confirmation.

"…I don't know." He narrowed his eyes at the ancient ruin, seemingly mocking them with its stoic exterior. "Do you… _feel _that?" 

"Hmm," she nodded, hesitantly at first, then with more assurance, her gaze shifting from the raven-haired man to the yawning dark entrance awaiting their decision. "I thought it was just the wind. But now…" She shivered slightly, wrapping her arms around herself for protection. "I can't help but feel a little afraid."

"It's like it doesn't want us to enter."

She looked at him, puzzled, her long, tail-like braid swaying with her movement. "It?" she asked carefully.

"…Never mind," Ryo chuckled, putting on a disarming smile before turning his attention back to the temple. He couldn't believe that he was going to do this. Standing a few yards away from the front entrance, he never imagined that he'd turn away from their strongest lead. 

_But it's a dead end. _Something was guiding him to think in that direction at least. He didn't know for sure. A hunch at best. However… he had one other way to find out besides entering the temple himself. The only problem was that his partner would not allow it. 

Ryo almost sighed aloud, turning to face the girl who had forcefully tagged along on this 'little' quest of his, despite his (and not to mention the village elders') protests. This whole trip would have been easier if she wasn't around. Not that he found her to be a nuisance. On the contrary, she was a great help, to his surprise. But her tendency to worry about him made Ryo consciously tone down how 'adventuresome' he would get, for her sake. He knew all too well that any danger he'd throw himself in would place her in the thick of it as well. But his being more reserved didn't necessarily guarantee that she would be as well. _Can't calm a raging spirit._

"So…" she drawled, drumming her fingers against her folded arms. "Are we in or out?" 

"What do you want to do, Luna?" he asked instead.

"I'm fine either way," she replied, knowing that his uncertainty wasn't without cause. "It's really your call." On a spur of the whim, she added, "But if we're out, you have to buy me a piece of jewelry."

He smiled softly, charmed. "Deal."

She uncrossed her arms, spinning on her heels to openly gawk at him. "Really?!" 

"We'll stay in Essa for a day or two." His smile broadened. "Plenty of time to pick out exactly what you want, right?"

Luna nodded, completely amazed. They _never _took time off to actually _relax_ during their travels, the mission always the first thing on her partner's mind. But for the next two days… 

"We'll head out to Metna afterwards," Ryo informed her, breaking the mild assumption she had of their quest actually _not_ occupying his mind, seeing that as wishful thinking. She subdued the urge to cross her arms in irritation, now knowing how the next day or so would play out. She'll be out shopping and he'll be preoccupied planning where to go next and preparing for their leave. No vacation for him. Essa was just a pit stop. 

She sighed aloud. His devotion to the task the village elders had given him worried her at times. True, dedication and faith were key elements to completing the mission. But the mind needed rest; his most of all. Complete concentration day in and day out would eventually wear him down. _And Ryo's been like that ever since he first picked up the Twin Fire Swords of Laii._

"Luna?"

She blinked in surprised, Ryo staring back at her, a questioning expression on his face. "Something wrong?" he asked.

"Oh, um…" 

A pause… then a forced smile. 

"It's nothing."

He nodded, silently. Looking over the ruin one last time, Ryo absently ran his fingers down the metal guard encasing his left forearm. He felt a tinge of power surge through ~_Kaji_~, somewhat bothered by a force nearby. 

The temple.

There was something about it that he couldn't place. But he'd find out. 

During their stay in Essa… he'd find out.

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *__

"Hmm…" The young girl stretched out her arms above her head as the morning sun warmed her face, a gentle breeze ruffling her hair simultaneously. "A perfect day." She whirled around energetically to smile at her companions, walking backwards down the road towards the front entrance of the city. 

"Don't you two agree?"

A disgruntled snort accompanied by a leveled glare greeted her sweetly innocent inquiry. And what reason did they have to be in a sour mood that fine spring day, walking through the streets of Essa? Well, Sage, the one who continued to glare at his sister's now turned back, was still bitter about leaving the temple grounds, against his will (of course), the other day. It had, fortunately, subsided over the night. That is… until he found out only less than an hour ago that they were leaving for Ledon. 

_Tch._ Satsuki really didn't trust him to exercise some self-control while in Essa, organizing to leave the first chance she got just to get him as far away from the temple as possible. It was actually a good call, on her part. He _was_ thinking of sneaking away in the dead of night, but he knew Kento's reflexes better than anyone. After all, he wasn't hiring himself out as a bodyguard when he first met him just for kicks. The Altainese warrior was well suited for the job, especially at night, keeping intruders out and — in his case — would-be escapees in. _Out of all the mercenaries and bodyguards out there, Satsuki just had to pick the one from Altai._ True, in a real match, swords were better than fists, and he was very apt in the art of fencing. But seeing as how he would never raise his sword at the man… well then Sage just had to give up on sneaking out of the inn while everyone was asleep. 

Then that left today. But of course… they were leaving. And Satsuki made sure that he found out at the very _last_ minute.

Sage sighed. His sister really _did_ know him well. If he had known about this earlier, he would have argued all night! He was very good at debating. And in fact, Sage _did_ argue once he found out that morning and still continued to do so until he was presented with the prospect of facing _both_ Kento and Satsuki's wrath. Only _then_ did he back down. 

Now, the blonde was in one of his moods, half-sulking half-angry, as he walked behind his sister who was happily skipping down the streets, swinging her hands to and fro. Victory was hers. 

And as for Kento's reason for being less than enthused… Well, he'd been up since first light. And lack of sleep was making him grumpy. 

"Why did _I_ have to get stuck shopping for provisions?" he griped, adjusting the large bag strapped to his back.

"Because _I_ was watching my brother."

"I wasn't going to leave!"

"Well then why did we need so much?" Kento carried on, as if the swordsman hadn't spoken at all. 

"Because, Ledon is three days from here. There's not many places to stop over on the way so we had to stock up." Satsuki then shot a quick glare at the burly man before turning her head away. "Besides, you eat twice as much as Sage and I _combined_, so I wouldn't complain about the weight of the food if I were you."

He let out a sheepish grin, deciding against voicing any further complaint… for the moment. Sage, meanwhile, was taking up the rear of the group, purposely lagging behind. He was quite cross at how they were behaving towards him. _Geez, if they're going to be like that all day then I just won't talk!_

Their group was just approaching the city limits, the vastness of the world waiting in front of them. Sage cast a parting glance behind, then diverted his eyes towards the forests to the east where the temple ruins lay snuggled deep within its breasts. He sighed in disappointment. _So much for that._ He turned his attention forward, towards the travelers that were now entering Essa, and came across a young couple in the distance. Normally he wouldn't be people watching so openly, especially while on the move. But the girl was enough to grab anyone's attention.

A young woman of a rich, dark complexion was walking down the main road with her male companion, dressed in a rather unconventional outfit resembling a gypsy's garb. The long, black shorts she wore that fell just above the knees fit her like a second skin, her midriff acting in the same fashion. Like everything in her attire, her hair was of an ebony hue that gleamed a dark, metallic gray in the sunlight. Thick locks fell around her face, particularly towards the left, the rest kept back in a tight ponytail braided down to the tip. The only items that stood out from this woman were the numerous gold pieces of jewelry — dangling from her wrists, neck, and ears — and the cloth, close to the size of a grown man's cape, folded and loosely tied around her waist, exposing the entire length of one leg, but not the other. 

_She's from one of the island nations. _Her physical features told him that much. But as for being a gypsy… _No._ Sage shook his head. _She's a gypsy in garb, but not in profession._ The way she carried herself resembled someone out on a mission, her walk laced with purpose and confidence. The swordsman could only come to the conclusion that she was born in the south, but she was not raised there. And the man she traveled with only emphasized that fact. 

He was dressed ordinary enough; white pants and double shirts, a loose black tank top with a short sleeve and collar shirt underneath. A very common style among the youth in Argon, but not of an Islander. True, the man could pass as one, his appearance also dark, but not close to the same level as his partner. His skin was only tanned. His hair, like the girl, was a deep, jet-black color, going pass the shoulders and tied loosely at the base of the neck. Very unruly, like how he could imagine Kento's hair would get if he grew it out. But his facial features and structural build suggested that this man came from the east, but not Altai. _Hmm… _Kento had told him of other, smaller nations along the coastal border of his homeland. Maybe these two came from one of them. But what would they be doing so far away from home? And in Argon at that? Altai was a very large country to cross over, by land _or_ sea. 

While Sage was playing with the idea in his head, seeing how his two traveling companions continued to ignore him, he failed to notice that the young man had cast his eyes towards him, having had been aware of the attention the blonde had been giving him and his female companion. Tiger blue eyes roved over his form, examining his attire and summing up the swordsman in almost the same fashion that Sage had. But his eyes caught onto something that the other had missed. The broad sword hanging from Sage's belt. His lips twitched into a contained smile. _Interesting._

Sage looked back at the pair, unexpectedly coming across a set of brilliant blue eyes watching him watching _them_. He was planning on diverting his gaze, as if nothing had happened, but found that when he tried, his head started to hurt. It was a slight feeling of discomfort at first, but soon escalated to a throbbing pain right behind his eyes. _Wha…?_ He was forced to slow down, entranced by the man's eyes, but at the same time reeling from the encounter. _What is he **doing** to me??_

"Hey Sage!!" 

He was suddenly whacked hard across the back by a very large hand, sending him stumbling forward, almost tripping over his own two feet. He staggered to a halt, the pain in his head subsiding only to be replaced with the sting he felt on his back from where Kento had slapped him without warning. "Kento…" Sage clenched his fists, about to round on the other man when he found a strong arm wrap itself around his neck, the Altainese warrior quickly pulling him into a headlock. 

"Man, what are you doing, lagging behind like that," he chided lightheartedly. "Shoot. Me and Suki almost left you!!" He then arched a suspicious brow at him, eyes narrowing simultaneously. "Don't tell me you were planning on going back to Essa."

"No," he tersely replied, breaking out of Kento's hold. He placed and irritated hand on his hip, quickly raking his fingers through his hair to rid it of its disheveled state. "Mind telling me what _that_ was for?"

Kento's grin widened as they continued down the road, casually placing his arm around Sage's neck, this time in a more buddy-buddy manner. "Geez, Sage. Can't I show my affection for you once in a while?"

_Affection? Yeah right._ He resisted the urge to roll his eyes. 

"C'mon," Kento pulled him in closer. "The sun's almost directly overhead. Gotta make up for lost time." He was actually concerned about their _traveling_ distance now?? Oh, there was something _very_ wrong with this picture. 

But before Sage could call him on it, Kento tilted his head so that his mouth was near the blonde's ear and whispered something that left the swordsman speechless. He almost forgot to keep walking, but Kento's arm, still slung casually over his shoulder, nudged him forward, sharply reminding him not to draw any more attention to their group. A later explanation for his actions was all that he could offer. But…

Kento cast a fleeting glance behind him, spotting the pair as they entered Essa. The woman was talking to her companion, the man half attentive to what she was saying. To anyone else present, nothing out of the ordinary had happened. Just a young couple coming into the city and an energetic pair of friends departing. But… 

The man pulled the slim bag over his shoulder again, moving it back to its _original_ position. Kento scowled at his retreating back, a foul taste entering his mouth at the memory. Sage wasn't in any condition to notice at the time, but the raven-haired man had rolled the excessively long bag under his arm, cradling the upper portion of the bag in his palm with his thumb folded downwards, the tip resting on something slightly protruding from underneath the cloth. It had happened in less than a few seconds, but the concluding pose got Kento's blood boiling. He knew a draw stance when he saw one, and there was no doubt in his mind that the bag he carried had at least _two_ swords in them. 

_Laiians._ Although the heritage of the woman was questionable, both were from the small republic next to Altai's eastern border. And the fact that they were here in Argon didn't do much to ease Kento's mind. 

He'd explain later. That's what he had promised Sage. But the truth was, he wasn't exactly sure what was going on himself. 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *__

"Why did you prepare to draw??" Luna repeated, looking sternly at the man. Ryo casually swung the bag carrying the Twin Fire Swords over his shoulder, raising a wary brow at the woman. 

"Why did you?" he turned the question around, his eyes fixated on her hand, which was still behind her back. She immediately released her grip on the throwing knives concealed underneath the cloth tied around her waist. 

"He reacted to your 'searching.' I thought he was going to move."

He shook his head. "He reacted only because he's actually sensitive to spirit probing." _One of the few out there._ "You shouldn't act so rash so soon," Ryo lectured, although he knew the reason why she would. "Especially with a Zan'Shao." 

Luna blinked at him, looking back behind them before staring at her partner again. "The blonde? A member of the warring clans?" 

"No," Ryo chuckled, shaking his head. "The other man." It was apparent to him, judging by her bemused expression, that she really _didn't_ know of the danger the swordsman's companion had presented. It explained why she was so quick to round on him for pulling out the swords. She thought it was unnecessary. He very well knew otherwise.

"He had his hand on a three sectioned staff tucked away in the back of his belt." Ryo watched in amusement as Luna's eyes widened in surprise. "He reacted to your move. So I reacted to his." He then laughed again, trying to put Luna at ease, for she was beginning to feel guilty for starting what could have been a very nasty fight. "Don't worry so much. Nothing happened, after all."

"I guess," she sighed. "What region was he from? Did you see?"

Ryo's eyes narrowed slightly. He _did_ see the piercing in the man's upper left earlobe, the orange gemstone burning bright in his mind's eye. _Chouka._ He was of the Rei Fuan, one of the strongest clans in the nation. A battle with him would have proved to be very bloody indeed. 

"No," he lied, deciding to spare her the thought. "I wasn't able to catch it."

"Really?" Luna found it strange that he didn't notice the color of the earring and still be aware that he was a member of Altai's warring clans. But Ryo _was_ in the middle of a spirit probe when the Zan'Shao made his approach, so it could have slipped his attention. "Well, then did you find out about that tall blonde?"

Ryo thought back on it, and frowned. His concentration had already begun to slip when he had to move his swords into a drawing position, but that only meant it would have taken a bit longer. No problem. He had kept his gaze locked firmly with the other man, not about to let him fall out of his grasp when… 

"Tch." Ryo crossed his arms over his chest. 

"I take that as a no."

"The connection broke off too soon," he replied. "I couldn't determine whether or not he was the rightful owner."

She huffed irritably, blowing some bangs away from her face. "That guy knew about the spirit probe as well, didn't he?"

A nod. "I'm sure that he slapped him on purpose." _But that would be expected from someone of his standing. _He had better watch himself next time.

"Did you at least find out what ~_Weapon_~ the blonde was carrying?" Luna asked. 

"~_Korin_~," Ryo replied, actually having the answer to that question. "One of the light ~_Weapons_~ of Halo."


End file.
